Steve McLean – Sustainable Biz Canadahttps://sustainablebiz.ca
News and information about sustainable business in CanadaFri, 22 Feb 2019 10:16:11 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.9CaGBC makes financial case for building to zero carbonhttps://sustainablebiz.ca/cagbc-makes-the-case-for-building-to-zero-carbon/
https://sustainablebiz.ca/cagbc-makes-the-case-for-building-to-zero-carbon/#respondThu, 21 Feb 2019 11:40:21 +0000https://green.renxdashboard.ca.nmsrv.com/cagbc-makes-the-case-for-building-to-zero-carbon/While zero-carbon buildings can be a major contributor to Canada meeting its international commitment of a 30-per cent reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions below 2005 levels by 2030, they also make financial sense for developers, building owners and operators.

While zero-carbon buildings can be a major contributor to Canada meeting its international commitment of a 30-per cent reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions below 2005 levels by 2030, they also make financial sense for developers, building owners and operators.

“We felt there was a need for a deeper dive in looking at a whole cross-section of buildings across a number of different cities and climates to give the industry a sense of what the likely financial picture would look like for pursuing zero carbon,” said Mark Hutchinson, CaGBC vice-president of green building programs.

Seventeen per cent of Canada’s GHG emissions come from residential, commercial and institutional buildings. To effectively reduce them and help ensure Canada meets its reduction commitments, energy use and carbon emissions need to be reduced simultaneously. This can be accomplished cost-effectively through zero-carbon buildings, according to the study.

Characteristics, benefits of zero carbon

A zero-carbon building is characterized by: having its operations contribute no carbon emissions over the course of a year; a design that prioritizes reducing energy demand and meeting energy needs efficiently; using on-site renewable energy; and having the embodied carbon of the structural and envelope materials evaluated as part of the design.

Zero carbon buildings are designed to minimize carbon emissions and then offset any remaining emissions by generating clean, renewable energy on-site or off-site. This can reduce life-cycle costs and mitigate exposure to carbon pollution pricing.

The business case for zero carbon buildings isn’t yet well understood by the development and construction industry, governments or the real estate sector, so CaGBC commissioned engineering professional services consulting firm WSP to evaluate the financial viability and impact of building these structures.

“The industry is learning about it and is keen to learn more, but it’s still in the early days,” said Hutchinson.

He acknowledged that many architects and engineers lack the knowledge of, and experience with, zero-carbon buildings to deliver them cost-effectively.

“For most of the market, I think it’s a challenge that just requires some more dedicated thinking and awareness that there are benefits about the longer term, and not just looking at the sticker price.”

The study found that, by 2030, more than four million tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions per year could be avoided cost-effectively if the building types studied are built to zero carbon. This represents more than 22 per cent of the 20 million tonnes of GHG reductions that the Pan-Canadian Framework recognizes as potential savings from the buildings sector. More than 12 million tonnes could be avoided by 2050.

The emissions reductions could be delivered at a total incremental capital cost of $3.3 billion per year, which would fund the construction of approximately 47,500 new zero-carbon residential units and 4,800 new zero-carbon commercial and institutional buildings annually. This level of carbon reduction can be achieved with existing market-ready technologies and approaches for the building types evaluated.

The study showed zero carbon buildings can be achieved with a positive financial return of one per cent over a 25-year life-cycle, including carbon pollution pricing. They require an eight per cent capital cost premium. The financial return will grow as the cost of carbon rises over time.

“For every year that goes by, the economic case is going to get stronger,” said Hutchinson.

]]>https://sustainablebiz.ca/cagbc-makes-the-case-for-building-to-zero-carbon/feed/0Sifton’s West 5 sets a high bar for energy-efficiencyhttps://sustainablebiz.ca/siftons-west-5-sets-a-high-bar-for-energy-efficiency/
https://sustainablebiz.ca/siftons-west-5-sets-a-high-bar-for-energy-efficiency/#respondWed, 13 Feb 2019 15:51:19 +0000https://green.renxdashboard.ca.nmsrv.com/siftons-west-5-sets-a-high-bar-for-energy-efficiency/Sifton Properties has been responsible for a number of construction firsts in its base of London, Ont. since it built its first house in 1923. With West 5, it’s going to new heights and creating what it claims to be

Sifton Properties has been responsible for a number of construction firsts in its base of London, Ont. since it built its first house in 1923. With West 5, it’s going to new heights and creating what it claims to be the most sustainable and energy-efficient community in Ontario.

“Making a positive and lasting impact on our community, while bringing forward the best product, is something that we strive to do at Sifton,” said president Richard Sifton.

“We are always looking for better ways to do that, and energy-efficiency and sustainability are important to us too in order to achieve those goals. We want to build our product the right way, with our customer and the environment in mind.”

West 5 will have 450,000 square feet of commercial space, a central park and 2,000 households consisting of townhomes, condominiums, apartments and retirement residences when it’s completed in 15 to 20 years along London’s Oxford Street West.

“West 5 is a lifestyle destination built with the future in mind,” said Sifton. “West 5 will be energy-efficient and will target net zero.

“It will encompass very modern architecture and state-of-the-art technology, but that is only one piece of West 5. West 5 will be a vibrant, walkable community where residents can live, work and play.”

The Sifton Centre

West 5’s 60,000-square-foot Sifton Centre, which includes office and retail space, is the first net-zero office building in Canada. That means it generates as much energy as it uses in a year.

This was achieved through: 524 solar panels on the roof and integrated into the exterior façade; View dynamic glass; a variable refrigerant heating and cooling system that’s 55 per cent more efficient than conventional commercial systems; a rainwater cistern used to harvest water to flush toilets; LED lighting throughout; Energy Star-rated appliances; and two hives housing 100,000 honey bees.

Sifton has located its head office in the building, and all of its staff members are using laptop computers instead of desktops to save power and give people the flexibility to work in different areas.

The Sifton Centre is open. All of the office space and 40.5 per cent of the ground floor retail and commercial space is leased.

1305 Riverbend

Construction is expected to finish on 1305 Riverbend — a four-storey, building with 30,640 square feet of office space and 5,937 square feet of retail and commercial space — late this spring. No leases have been signed to date.

The building is expected to achieve net-zero status. It will be fitted with 820 400-watt solar panels on the roof and exterior walls that will allow it to generate 384,000 kilowatt hours of electricity in a year. That’s enough to power 32 average Canadian homes.

The building will also feature: a state-of-the-art heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system; R-10 under-slab insulation and a highly insulated green roof; thermal glass windows; low window to wall ratios; LED lighting throughout; smart lighting controls; and a super-tight building envelope.

A large, energy-efficient digital display on the corner of 1305 Riverbend, overlooking the park, will broadcast community programs, events and news from West 5 retailers.

Helio

Construction is underway on Helio, a $57-million, 10-storey, 115-unit apartment with resident amenity spaces, 17,370 square feet of ground floor retail and commercial space, and a 321-stall parking garage. It will be 77 per cent more energy-efficient than similar-sized residential buildings constructed under the Ontario Building Code and is expected to be the most energy-efficient multi-use residential high-rise in Ontario. It’s targeting occupancy for late next year.

Natural Resources Canada‘s Energy Innovation Program is contributing $3.9 million to Helio, enabling it to add more solar panels and upgrade some mechanical equipment. This will make the building almost 25 per cent more efficient than originally planned.

West 5’s other residential components

Several rental townhomes, with seven suite styles and sizes ranging from two bedrooms to three bedrooms and a den, are already occupied. There will be 87 in total once they’re completed in the fall, with rents ranging from $1,549 to $2,299.

West 5’s first residential condo, a mid-rise building with ground floor retail and commercial space, is in the design stage. While it will target 100 per cent energy-efficiency, no floor plans, unit sizes or prices have been determined. Sifton is looking to 2022 for completion.

West 5’s independent living apartments and retirement residence are also in the design stage, and floor plans and pricing haven’t been confirmed. It’s hoped that it can achieve net-zero energy usage.

“This project will be a two-step build, meaning we build the independent apartment building first and the retirement residence second,” said Sifton.

“We are looking to a 2020 completion for the apartments and 2021 completion for the residence. There will be shared amenities and a unique top-floor restaurant with a great view.”

]]>https://sustainablebiz.ca/siftons-west-5-sets-a-high-bar-for-energy-efficiency/feed/0Energy benchmarking in spotlight at CaGBC eventhttps://sustainablebiz.ca/energy-benchmarking-in-spotlight-at-cagbc-event/
https://sustainablebiz.ca/energy-benchmarking-in-spotlight-at-cagbc-event/#respondThu, 07 Feb 2019 02:29:03 +0000https://green.renxdashboard.ca.nmsrv.com/energy-benchmarking-in-spotlight-at-cagbc-event/Ontario was the first jurisdiction in Canada to introduce an energy benchmarking regulation, and it’s also the largest in North America with this type of framework. Some of the successes and challenges of benchmarking, as well as new tools to

“There’s a need for government to play a role in aggregating data to enable the industry to innovate and to make good strategic business decisions,” said CaGBC Greater Toronto regional director Jeff Ranson. “That’s really where benchmarking ties in.

“It’s very much an economic story. Collecting data helps building owners improve their performance and increase their asset value. It certainly helps conservation organizations design more effective programming because it gives us intelligence we don’t have in the marketplace.”

“The objective of EWRB is not only to benchmark energy and water use in your building, but to help building owners identify opportunities to reduce costs,” said Byrnes. He noted energy use represents about one-third of the typical operating budget for a building.

There’s no penalty for not reporting to EWRB, and Byrnes said voluntary reporting can limit the amount of data collected.

Energy Profiles Ltd.’s EWRB involvement

Neal Bach is the president of Energy Profiles Ltd. (EPL), a full-service energy engineering/accounting and software services firm focused on driving down energy and water use and costs in building portfolios across North America. He said EPL submitted information for about 100 buildings to EWRB in 2018, which accounted for about 20 per cent of all submissions.

Bach said it was a challenge to obtain the required utility data from tenants in order to report on an entire building’s energy use. While Ontario’s dozens of utility companies are mandated to supply information, at times it’s been difficult to get because they have different privacy policies, access procedures and rules.

“It took a lot more work than we expected,” said Bach. “It took a lot more work than our clients expected, and probably a lot more work than the utilities expected.”

While acknowledging obstacles, Byrnes said the situation is improving and the EWRB process should become easier each year.

CaGBC Disclosure Challenge

Vancouver-based Concert Properties sustainability vice-president Dave Ramslie acknowledged Ontario’s leadership in energy benchmarking. He noted there are voluntary programs in Manitoba and Alberta, British Columbia has pledged to introduce a program, and Nova Scotia is offering some support and industry training around data disclosure.

Ramslie encouraged owners to disclose building energy performance data in order to: show a commitment to transparency and sustainability; stay ahead of the regulatory curve; send a strong signal to the public and potential investors; attract and retain responsible tenants by showcasing excellent building performance; and encourage tenants to be more aware of, and act on sustainability issues.

Ramslie promoted the CaGBC Disclosure Challenge, in which companies commit to voluntary disclosure of energy and GHG emission information across their portfolios. While just Concert, QuadReal and Triovest have enrolled so far, there’s still time for more companies to sign up.

Participants’ full-year data will be collected from Energy Star Portfolio Manager for all buildings larger than 25,000 square feet in a company’s Canadian portfolio.

“As an industry, many of us are already collecting and reporting on this data,” said Ramslie. “We all have good buildings and we all have bad buildings.

“Now it’s time for us as an industry to start having a more advanced conversation about how we actually address poor performers to bring them up, and to work collectively to reduce greenhouse gases, save money and build better portfolios.”

Sustainable Buildings Canada’s Compass

The free web-based tool unlocks the power of benchmarking in building design by leveraging the wealth of information in energy simulation models. While benchmarking tools for existing buildings have been around for years, Compass can be used before construction starts.

Compass measures performance across a portfolio by using metrics which allows users to identify best practices for implementation across the portfolio to improve energy performance. It can compare energy use intensity among proposed buildings of the same type or size.

“By collecting this data in a centralized database, we have it in a standardized form that allows for a true apples-to-apples comparison between projects,” said Frankowski. “The value of this collective database is greater than the sum of the parts from any individual firm. This is a resource by the design community for the design community.”

Building owners can decide what information they want to share, and the data is normalized to ensure anonymity.

While Compass is owned by Sustainable Buildings Canada and RWDI provides technical support, an advisory committee with oversight of the user agreement determines how the data is used. The committee also provides strategic direction for the use of Compass.

Toronto 2030 Platform is designed to help users: benchmark their buildings; connect to conservation programs; commit to the District 2030 GHG reduction goals; and understand how downtown Toronto is progressing toward reaching emission reduction targets.

Toronto 2030 Platform was created by the CUI. The data it collects will be used to inform scenario planning, identify opportunities for district energy, and support utility conservation program design, engagement and campaign design.

Toronto is the only Canadian representative among 22 North American districts involved in the 2030 District program. CUI is working with Enbridge, Enwave, Toronto Hydro and the City of Toronto to accumulate data on the energy performance of downtown buildings.

Smith pointed out that GHG emissions from transportation sources between buildings in the Toronto 2030 District are greater than those from the buildings themselves.

“We often find that the conversations around transportation and buildings are separate, and we think they need to come together if we want to look at creating this high-performance district,” she said.

GBCI Canada’s Arc

The digital platform can now be viewed on most computers, tablets and smart phones. It collects, manages and benchmarks data to help measure and improve sustainability performance across the built environment, from buildings to cities and beyond.

Buildings no longer have to be LEED-certified to use Arc, but the platform can be used to pre-certify for LEED certification.

Data can be entered into Arc manually, via spreadsheets or through Energy Star Portfolio Manager. The data can be managed and tracked in near real time and is translated into a score out of 100 by measuring energy, water, waste, transportation and human experience performance within the system.

]]>https://sustainablebiz.ca/energy-benchmarking-in-spotlight-at-cagbc-event/feed/0Saint-Laurent is a green leader among municipalitieshttps://sustainablebiz.ca/saint-laurent-is-a-green-leader-among-municipalities/
https://sustainablebiz.ca/saint-laurent-is-a-green-leader-among-municipalities/#respondThu, 31 Jan 2019 08:15:43 +0000https://green.renxdashboard.ca.nmsrv.com/saint-laurent-is-a-green-leader-among-municipalities/The Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent has long focused on sustainability and environmentalism, and it has reduced its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 15 per cent between 2009 and 2017. Saint-Laurent, the largest of Montreal’s 19 boroughs by area, has been

The Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent has long focused on sustainability and environmentalism, and it has reduced its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 15 per cent between 2009 and 2017.

Saint-Laurent, the largest of Montreal’s 19 boroughs by area, has been able to achieve this while experiencing significant population growth and strong residential development.

“Where the rubber hits the road is in local communities,” said Alan DeSousa, who’s been Saint-Laurent’s mayor since 2001 and was Montreal’s vice-chairman in charge of sustainable development, the environment, parks and green spaces.

“We contribute bit by bit and brick by brick on a cumulative level to make sure that we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We haven’t been able to wave a magic wand but, by a series of measures that we’ve implemented in a disciplined fashion coherently across the board in all parts of our daily living as a community, the cumulative effect has enabled us to reduce our greenhouse gases by 21 per cent from 1990 levels.”

Saint-Laurent’s per capita GHG emissions were 5.4 metric tons in 2017, which compared to 9.6 metric tons for Quebec and 19.4 tons for Canada, according to a recent study by Quebec’s Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, and Fight Against Climate Change.

Saint-Laurent municipal buildings at forefront

DeSousa said these results are mainly due to the excellent participation of all parties involved, including Saint-Laurent residents, industrial firms, commercial establishments, institutions, organizations and the borough’s own administration.

“We’ve been at the forefront of sustainable buildings in Saint-Laurent through providing leadership in our own city buildings that we’ve constructed, but also in incentivizing and encouraging others in the community involved with new construction to make sure that they’re constructing LEED-certified buildings.”

Existing municipal buildings are being retrofitted in pursuit of ISO 14001, the international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system.

“We introduced measures eliminating fuel oil and replacing it with electric heating or dual energy,” said DeSousa. “We reduced consumption by way of maintenance and changing HVAC units to consume less energy. We’ve introduced hot water exchange programs and reflective roofs as opposed to tar roofs.”

Other environmental initiatives

Bylaws have been put in place for non-municipal buildings, which make up the vast majority of structures in Saint-Laurent, that state replacement roofs must be white or green.

Saint-Laurent has created biodiversity corridors, the largest of which is called Cavendish-Laurin-Liesse, where it has placed indigenous plants to lower temperatures and promote biodiversity in fauna and flora.

“We’re bringing in a new landscaping approach that provides natural links between woodlands on one end and other green spaces along the way, and using landscape architecture to devise and implement a master plan where we can increase the amount of green spaces in the community,” said DeSousa. “I’m not just interested in protecting natural spaces as they are, but also creating natural spaces that bring nature back into the city again.”

Street lighting has been converted to LED, which is more energy-efficient than older styles.

Organic waste collection is being collected in buildings with eight or fewer dwelling units in Saint-Laurent. That program is being expanded to include residential buildings with nine or more units as well as more industrial firms, commercial establishments and institutions.

Saint-Laurent’s municipal transportation fleet is being converted to electric or hybrid vehicles, while combustion vehicles will be equipped with engine shut-offs to prevent idling. An emphasis is being placed on car- and bicycle-sharing services and increasing the number of bike paths, electric vehicle charging stations and dedicated bus lanes. Five stations of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec-funded Réseau Électrique Métropolitain light rail transit system will be located in Saint-Laurent.

DeSousa stressed that Saint-Laurent residents have eagerly embraced efforts to reduce energy use and GHG emissions and take pride in their achievements.

More than 350 Canadian municipalities have been part of the PCP program since its inception in 1994. It involves a five-step milestone framework that guides members in creating GHG inventories, setting GHG reduction targets, developing local action plans, implementing actions to reduce emissions, and monitoring and reporting on results.

The PCP program’s goals are to save municipalities money, improve air quality, create jobs and improve local residents’ health. Initiatives created as part of the program are also contributing to Saint-Laurent’s objective, set by the City of Montreal, to reduce GHG emissions by 30 per cent from 2009 levels by 2020.

“They’re always trying to be greener and more energy-efficient and more environmentally sensitive,” said SHARC chief executive officer and chairman Lynn Mueller of Atlific Hotels, which manages Lake Louise Inn and more than 55 other hotels.

SHARC’s Piranha system is the first of its kind in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning market. Its self-contained heat pump uses a proprietary direct expansion heat exchanger to extract thermal energy.

SHARC’s Piranha system at Lake Louise Inn

At Lake Louise Inn, the Piranha system collects hot water from washing machines. Rather than draining into a sewer as is the currently accepted wastewater practice, the heat energy in the water is recovered. The water acts as a source for the heat pump, which heats incoming cold water for future loads.

It took two days of plumbing and electrical work to install the Piranha system, at a cost of about $60,000, at Lake Louise Inn. It’s expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 80 tonnes annually, which is the equivalent of taking 17 cars off the road. It should also reduce the energy use for the inn’s three large washing machines by 85 per cent.

It’s estimated the Piranha system, running 18 hours per day, will produce an average of 17,000 litres of hot water daily. As the Piranha system runs on electricity, it will offset approximately 57,000 litres of propane annually.

Since Lake Louise Inn runs on propane, Mueller said it can expect to save about $50,000 annually on fuel costs. The savings would be approximately $20,000 a year if the inn was fuelled by natural gas. Either way, it’s a very good return on investment.

“One of the things we’re most proud of is that we can put our system in and have a quick payback without needing the government to support it,” said Mueller.

All Atlific hotels are certified in the Green Key Eco-Rating Program, which recognizes hotels, motels and resorts committed to improving their environmental and fiscal performance. Atlific has put a concerted effort into enhancing its sustainability initiatives, particularly in the areas of conserving energy and reducing waste.

“We at Atlific are excited about this initiative and in time will be actively looking for other suitable candidates for this system,” said Atlific operations vice-president Gordon Johnson. “I was there last week with Nuwan Eparatchy, Lake Louise Inn’s GM, and I can’t wait to see the results over the coming months.”

“That was really amazing because we were up against multi-national, multi-billion-dollar companies and their products,” said Mueller. “We were the smallest company in the race and we won, which was really gratifying.”

SHARC is based in Port Coquitlam, B.C. The province’s Energy Step Code, a voluntary standard enacted last year which encourages more energy-efficient buildings to go beyond the requirements of the base building code, has contributed to making B.C. the company’s key Canadian market for now.

“It requires developers to reduce their carbon emissions by 70 per cent for buildings,” said Mueller, who said most structures being built in the province will include SHARC systems. “Everybody wants to reduce carbon, and we do it without a financial penalty because we save people money and reduce carbon.”

Heating and cooling with sewage

SHARC is involved with the Southeast False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility, which uses waste thermal energy captured from sewage to provide space heating and hot water to 5.2 million square feet of buildings in Vancouver’s Southeast False Creek. Mueller said it’s working on a similar but larger project in Scotland.

Mueller said SHARC recently completed a project in Washington, D.C., at DC Water’s new US$60-million, 150,000-square-foot headquarters, which is entirely heated and cooled using sewage. Mueller said DC Water is saving 35 per cent on cooling costs and 85 per cent on heating costs, as well as almost 19 million gallons of water which would have been used to feed air conditioning cooling towers.

“When people think of recycling, they think of bottles and cans,” said Mueller. “We recycle heat every day.”

SHARC has grown from having 12 employees last year to 35 today, and Mueller said it’s still hiring and growing. It has U.K. offices in Glasgow, Scotland and Newark, England and is looking to open branches in Australia, Germany and South Korea.

]]>https://sustainablebiz.ca/sharcs-wastewater-heat-recovery-breaks-hotel-sector/feed/0Longo’s to open first near net-zero supermarkethttps://sustainablebiz.ca/longos-open-first-near-net-zero-supermarket/
https://sustainablebiz.ca/longos-open-first-near-net-zero-supermarket/#respondTue, 23 Oct 2018 11:43:44 +0000http://green.dev.renxdashboard.ca.nmsrv.com/longos-open-first-near-net-zero-supermarket/Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. will open Canada’s first near net-zero supermarket on Nov. 1, with a helping hand from Natural Resources Canada‘s Energy Innovation Program. The federal government program contributed $1.44 million to the $11.06 million it’s taken to build the 40,000-square-foot

The federal government program contributed $1.44 million to the $11.06 million it’s taken to build the 40,000-square-foot supermarket in Stouffville, Ont., which will use 35 per cent less energy than similar stores and produce 65 per cent of its own energy through renewable technologies.

“Government support at the demonstration phase will lower both the technical and financial risks associated with the construction of high-performing buildings, as we build case studies that provide information on actual return on investment,” said Natural Resources Canada spokesperson Catherine Leroux.

“Until projects of this nature are completed, data on costs and performance are based only on models and theory.”

Supermarkets in Canada have high heating and cooling loads due to the country’s varied climate and geography. This makes reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use challenging and makes the new Longo’s store unique. Some net-zero energy supermarkets, in more favourable climates, are also being attempted elsewhere around the world.

GHG, energy reduction initiatives

The Stouffville Longo’s location aims to set an example for the Canadian supermarket sector. Its goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 1,500 and 2,000 metric tonnes per year by integrating energy-efficiency improvements, renewable energy systems, and other sustainable technologies. That number is the equivalent of taking from 274 to 366 cars off the road.

“This project will be able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the integration of multiple technologies to reduce losses of refrigerant, recover waste heat from its operation, lower heating and cooling loads, and produce and use clean energy from renewable technologies such as rooftop solar panels, building integrated photovoltaic panels, combined heat and power generation, advanced controls, and other advanced building envelope materials,” said Leroux.

“Annual energy savings are expected from high-efficiency building operations but require higher upfront capital costs. Payback for this type of building is estimated to be between eight and 15 years. Actual savings will be determined once at least one full year of data is obtained.”

Longo’s vice-president of central procurement and facility management Dave Mastroieni said the Stouffville supermarket will cost approximately 30 per cent more to build than a typical store.

“Longo’s has always been looking to improve its building of stores, as well as supporting environmental initiatives,” said Mastroieni.

Neelands Group Limited provided expertise in refrigeration applications and was responsible for providing a novel refrigeration and cooling system. s2e Technologies Inc. designed a building which could achieve near net-zero energy performance, including the selection and integration of renewable energy technologies and other advanced building technologies.

“Projects like this also support innovative Canadian companies to bring innovative clean technologies to market by demonstrating their value in a real-world setting,” said Leroux.

Longo’s was the first Canadian grocery retailer to have a solar energy system tied to the hydropower grid. Mastroieni noted Longo’s has also incorporated: solar elements at seven sites and its head office; LED lighting retrofits and electric vehicle charging stations at several sites; and CO2 refrigerants at 10 sites.

Federal government programs

The Energy Innovation Program – Clean Energy Technology Innovation component was funded through the 2016 federal budget. It included a competitive call for research, development, and demonstration of clean energy projects which create jobs, support investment, and industry competitiveness, and help realize global climate change goals.

“Projects were selected through a detailed review process which includes technical review by subject matter experts,” said Leroux. “Longo’s conceived of and proposed their project through this competitive call for proposals.”

Leroux said Natural Resources Canada intends to continue funding similar high-efficiency buildings to develop business cases to inform the development and adoption of new model building codes.

]]>https://sustainablebiz.ca/longos-open-first-near-net-zero-supermarket/feed/0B+H designs PCL Toronto’s new LEED v4 office spacehttps://sustainablebiz.ca/bh-designs-pcl-torontos-new-leed-v4-office-space/
https://sustainablebiz.ca/bh-designs-pcl-torontos-new-leed-v4-office-space/#respondThu, 27 Sep 2018 12:36:29 +0000http://green.dev.renxdashboard.ca.nmsrv.com/2018/09/27/bh-designs-pcl-torontos-new-leed-v4-office-space/PCL Toronto has settled into its new Oakville office space in Westbury International Centre, which reflects both its heritage and future as Canada’s largest construction company. “Our previous space served us well for more than 25 years,” said PCL Constructors Canada Inc.

“Our previous space served us well for more than 25 years,” said PCL Constructors Canada Inc. (Toronto) senior vice-president and district manager Todd Craigen of the former location at 2085 Hurontario St. in Mississauga. “However, it was dated and in need of a major renovation.

“As our business has grown and the industry has evolved, we recognized the need to elevate our Toronto workplace to sustain our operations well into the future, with focus on a more collaborative work environment focused on employee engagement and wellness, and sharing of information and technology.

“We see our new space as an important investment in our employees and our partners that sets the stage for PCL to recruit and retain the best people in the industry.”

PCL is a group of independent construction companies involved in the infrastructure, heavy industrial and buildings markets across Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and Australia. While the company’s North American head office is in Edmonton, the Toronto office oversees its largest district, with more than 550 employees and annual construction volume of more than $1 billion.

Westbury International Centre was built in 2016 and received a LEED Silver designation last year. The seven-storey building has 219,175 of space, of which more than 100,000 square feet isn’t yet leased.

B+H Architects-designed collaborative spaces

PCL occupies 51,000 square feet on two floors designed by B+H Architects.

“B+H is a talented design house with innovative and creative thinkers,” said Craigen. “Our long history of great projects with B+H has spawned a unique relationship between our firms.

“There is good alignment with shared cultural values and a relationship built on mutual respect and trust. I think everyone will agree, B+H delivered on our vision and exceeded our expectations with the design of our new home.”

B+H’s design involved the installation of an internal stairwell connecting PCL’s two floors, as well as creating plenty of collaboration and meeting spaces and using the most current technology to help collaboration with other offices and project teams across Canada. It also includes a café lounge with a kitchen that can host large interactive meetings while acting as both a work and relaxation space.

“They had become siloed and disconnected because they grew so much,” said B+H interior design principal Peter Heys of PCL’s issues with its former office. “This was an opportunity to re-introduce themselves to each other.”

To reinforce PCL’s position and heritage as a prominent construction company, the office design includes plenty of wood, exposed concrete, exposed steel, glass and metal.

PCL’s desire for LEED v4 offices

PCL’s office was designed and built to LEED v4 standards, with Green Reason acting as the LEED consultant and being instrumental in achieving the LEED v4 goal.

“We had to work within the parameters of what the building offered to go the extra mile to get that accreditation,” said Heys.

Included in the customization particular to the PCL office was working with and adapting the building control systems, including lighting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). Plumbing met all new standards for fixtures and water usage.

Every material and component that went into the space was scrutinized and tracked so that they met LEED v4 criteria, according to B+H senior interior designer and senior associate Adrian Berry. The reflectivity of the ceilings, workstations and furniture was taken into consideration so they would produce as much light as possible while using as little energy as possible.

“Knowing that it would take a steep learning curve to implement the new requirements to obtain LEED v4 ID+C for commercial interiors, we decided to use the project as a test case in partnership with B+H and Green Reason to explore this new and challenging rating system together for application on future client projects,” said Craigen.

“With PCL acting as both the client and construction manager on this project, we were able to create a successful outcome for our employees, while utilizing the project as a living lab to gain important knowledge that we can translate for our clients interested in adopting LEED v4 on their projects.”

Westbury International Centre

The Westbury International Centre’s 11-acre site at 2201 Bristol Circle is easily accessible via the Queen Elizabeth Way, Highways 403 and 407, and public transit. It’s in close proximity to more than 20 restaurants and coffee shops, as well as banks, retail shops, hotels, fitness facilities, schools and daycare facilities.

Westbury International Centre’s features include: rooftop exposure; four computer-controlled elevators, with one to facilitate move-ins; a two-storey main lobby with indirect lighting, granite floors, feature walls and sculpted drywall ceilings; two common washrooms per floor; a central high-efficiency, energy-saving HVAC system located in the penthouse; a smart water system installed for the exterior landscape to conserve on water usage; and four parking spaces for every 1,000 square feet of leasable space.

Westbury International (1991) Corporation’s portfolio of managed properties includes 40 tenants in more than 900,000 square feet of class-A office space in Oakville and nearby Burlington. Its headquarters is located in Westbury International Centre.

]]>https://sustainablebiz.ca/bh-designs-pcl-torontos-new-leed-v4-office-space/feed/0Peak Power signs Starlight, partners with BGIS, Sidewalk Labshttps://sustainablebiz.ca/peak-power-signs-starlight-partners-with-bgis-sidewalk-labs/
https://sustainablebiz.ca/peak-power-signs-starlight-partners-with-bgis-sidewalk-labs/#respondWed, 12 Sep 2018 14:14:35 +0000http://green.dev.renxdashboard.ca.nmsrv.com/2018/09/12/peak-power-signs-starlight-partners-with-bgis-sidewalk-labs/Toronto-based Peak Power Inc. has opened offices in Boston and New York City and more than doubled its staff to 25 over the past year, as its software and solutions to provide electricity savings gain in popularity. Peak Power offers a range

]]>Toronto-based Peak Power Inc. has opened offices in Boston and New York City and more than doubled its staff to 25 over the past year, as its software and solutions to provide electricity savings gain in popularity.

Peak Power offers a range of services, including project development, construction, software, financing, operations, and maintenance.

“Peak Power has developed a software platform, Synergy, that optimizes the operation of distributed energy assets such as battery energy storage, electric vehicles and solar,” said company founder and chief executive officer Derek Lim Soo. “Through the use of big data and machine learning, Peak is able to forecast moments of peak demand on the grid and help building owners reduce electricity bills.”

These technologies transform the traditional utility model characterized by one-way flows of energy from large centralized power plants to a distributed model with transactive flows of energy between end-users.

Commercial building systems

Peak Power has developed its own energy management system for commercial buildings that provides a real-time pulse of buildings and predictive analytics on various commodity usages.

The technology involves Peak Power installing a package of Internet-enabled sensors in a building and using the data collected to feed into its analysis to come up with a load forecast for the building.

It doesn’t require tapping into a building management system, which results in it being faster and less expensive to deploy than other energy monitoring platforms, according to Peak Power chief operating officer Matthew Sachs.

“Right now we’re in the prototype stage and we’re looking to enter into a pilot with a number of buildings to test out the functionality,” he said.

Peak Power signs up Starlight Investments

The project, which utilizes Lockheed Martin storage technology with engineering and construction provided by Spark Power, has the potential to generate electricity bill savings of up to 25 per cent by targeting peak demand charges such as the rising global adjustment charge.

Toronto-based Starlight Investments is a privately held full-service real estate investment and asset management company that manages $8.5 billion worth of multi-family and commercial properties for joint venture partnerships with institutional investors. Its portfolio consists of approximately 36,000 multi-family units across Canada and the United States and more than 5.3 million square feet of commercial properties.

“This is an example of a great client that’s very forward-thinking,” said Sachs, who added Starlight Investments is looking to install a much larger system next year and that the company’s endorsement of Peak Power’s technology should open doors with other potential clients.

Bloor Islington Place is one of six sites supported by a Sustainable Development Technology Canada grant that was announced last year by Peak Power. That includes a Tesla energy storage system being used at The Thomson Building at 65 Queen St. W. in Toronto. Osmington Inc., a private commercial real estate company owned and controlled by Thomson Reuters chairman David Thomson, is Peak Power’s lead investor.

Once complete, all six sites will be aggregated into a virtual power plant to provide additional services to the Ontario grid.

Peak Power agreements with BGIS and Sidewalk Labs

Peak Power and Canadian real estate management services provider BGIS launched a partnership agreement in November to offer energy storage services to BGIS clients to help them reduce their electricity costs.

“BGIS has been an incredible partner that understands the future of where the built environment and electricity markets are heading,” said Lim Soo. “We are working on various projects with BGIS and hope to announce some of them shortly.”

Peak Power recently announced a partnership with Alphabet Inc.’s Sidewalk Labs to target increased sustainability in urban centres, but can’t yet disclose details about what that will entail. Sidewalk Labs imagines, designs, tests and builds urban innovations to help cities tackle issues such as cost of living, efficient transportation and energy usage through technological solutions.

“We are actively looking for building owners that would like to participate in a pilot which has strong potential to create tremendous long-term savings to the client,” said Lim Soo of the partnership.

Peak Power is a founding member of the Building Energy Innovators Council, which was formed in 2016 as an industry-driven initiative to accelerate the collaboration, innovation and adoption of clean building technologies across Canada.

“It may be premature to focus on individual buildings,” said JLL Canada managing director of sustainability Jiri Skopek. “However, the overall program is already achieving up to 15 per cent energy savings amounting to over $2.7 million of energy saving annually.”

JLL Canada first became involved in the Smart Buildings initiative during a competitive pilot program in 2015. The professional services firm that specializes in commercial real estate services and investment management implemented its proprietary smart building platform, IntelliCommand, at two buildings in Canada’s National Capital Region during the pilot program.

IntelliCommand provides real-time monitoring and fine-tuning of building systems to maximize efficiency. It collects and analyzes data from multiple building systems, including critical mechanical and electrical systems. JLL’s portfolio energy experts use best-in-class algorithms to detect equipment or operational trends and issues.

“JLL’s solution includes all software, middleware, sensors and other hardware components necessary to capture, store, analyze and transmit existing building data from the building systems or building automation systems to the cloud-based analytical engine, which can analyze and diagnose the data,” said Skopek. “The platform helps clients proactively identify problems and anomalies that often go undetected.

“Once identified, the right tools can be applied to fix the problem so issues can get resolved quickly and even be prevented from happening in the future. Identified operational problems can be linked directly to work orders and instructions to the maintenance teams. There can also be a monitoring component with experts in the control room.”

Eighty-two federal buildings are being rolled out into IntelliCommand and more than 21 are now fully operational. Skopek said other JLL Canada clients are using the platform, but he doesn’t have permission to reveal them.

Procter & Gamble has launched IntelliCommand in buildings around the world, covering more than nine million square feet. The 65-storey 311 South Wacker office tower in Chicago has also implemented the platform.

Sustainability achievements

Skopek provides advice to owners and managers of large portfolios on sustainable development in the fields of design, asset and facility management, emergency preparedness, business continuity, and smart building intelligence.

“JLL is proud of its sustainability achievement,” said Skopek. “Service to building occupants has always been a JLL priority.

“Because of this, JLL developed successful tenant engagement programs. With much interest in greening, wellness and productivity, JLL created a ‘Green + Productive Workplace’ program being applied on JLL clients’ portfolios. The program is backed by significant research partners such as Harvard University and summarized in a publication titled SMART Green + Productive Workplace that’s available on Amazon.”

Skopek’s 30 years of experience includes developing Green Globes environmental assessment tools, which include modules for the design of new buildings, sustainable interiors and operation and management of existing buildings, and building intelligence quotient.

As an architect, designer and planner, Skopek has worked in and been responsible for projects in Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

]]>https://sustainablebiz.ca/jll-platform-used-feds-smart-buildings-initiative/feed/0‘Envelope’ a critical factor in constructing green buildingshttps://sustainablebiz.ca/envelope-critical-factor-constructing-green-buildings/
https://sustainablebiz.ca/envelope-critical-factor-constructing-green-buildings/#respondTue, 19 Jun 2018 12:06:22 +0000http://green.dev.renxdashboard.ca.nmsrv.com/2018/06/19/envelope-critical-factor-constructing-green-buildings/It all starts with a great building envelope. That was the key message from Morrison Hershfield’s Mark Lucuik and Jamie McKay, during a session on green building tips at the Canada Green Building Council’s Building Lasting Change national conference at Toronto’s Beanfield Centre on June 7.

Both men from the engineering firm emphasized the importance of the envelope, which they defined as “the elements of a building that separate the controlled indoor environment from the uncontrolled outdoor environment.”

“The envelope is becoming more and more important as we push things like net zero carbons, net zero energy, passive housing, et cetera,” said McKay. He went on to note the envelope is connected to every other aspect of a green building, including orientation and configuration, site design, materials and finishing, ventilation, heating and cooling, and lighting and power.

Building envelope’s role in certifications

Many owners are using multiple rating systems and trying to achieve several certifications to make their buildings more appealing to potential tenants. Striving to achieve certifications can also help to keep team members on the same path and present targets to try to improve upon.

The envelope plays a role in many of these certifications:

– For LEED v4 it affects factors such as durability, habitat, rain water, heat island, irrigation, building envelope commissioning, energy use, life cycle assessment, material impacts and volatile organic compounds.
– For the WELL Building Standard it impacts mold, operable windows, air infiltration, moisture management and Circadian lighting.
– In terms of the RELi resilience standard, the envelope plays a role in life cycle analysis for net zero carbon, durability, adaptability, flexibility, thermal resilience and passive performance.

Morrison Hershfield released a guide on how to achieve a lower thermal energy demand intensity (TEDI) score, which measures the amount of energy required for a space and how that energy escapes. The guide provides insight into: thermal bridging calculation methodologies; heat recovery ventilation testing protocols; low TEDI in the context of whole building energy; and design and construction requirements for low TEDI buildings.

“Getting to a lower TEDI number means we have to put less energy into the space to make sure that we’re still comfortable,” said McKay, who stressed that achieving this requires taking an entire building into consideration.

“We naturally try to break these things into these tiny solos and we miss the connections between them all,” said McKay, a LEED fellow and sustainability and durability building consultant. “Let’s work to see how all of these things work together.”

Modelling can help in many ways

McKay said the ultimate goal is to have a dynamic building envelope that can adapt and self-heal like human skin. He would also like to capitalize on what’s available around us naturally to erase the barriers between inside and outside. Lucuik, a LEED fellow and Morrison Hershfield’s director of sustainability, cited the green roof as a good filter.

“We’ve done things where we’ve cascaded water off of the walls and collected it four feet down below. That’s a pretty simple thing. The earth does a pretty good job of getting rid of contaminants. We don’t need all of these manufactured tools.”

McKay said modern structures are becoming too complex to build without modelling, and that those involved should avoid working in silos so potentially costly mistakes aren’t made early in the process. Good modelling should encompass:

Modelling tools can show you that there are multiple paths to get the outcome you want to achieve, while also showing how some things impact others.

“This allows you the flexibility to make good decisions,” said McKay of using today’s complex, multi-purpose tools. “Gone are the days of a single model and then waiting another three weeks for another single model.”

Factors in planning a green building

Taking advantage of whatever you can to make a building more environmentally friendly is important since buildings can play a role in global warming, ozone depletion, acidification, smog, using non-renewable resources and human health.

Lucuik left attendees with a short list of items which should be considered to make a better performing building:

– think of the envelope as a monitoring and evaluation system;
– acknowledge the complexity of the building envelope system;
– understand the relationships between energy, health, comfort, light, etc.;
– expand your base knowledge and take ownership of it;
– invest in your tool kits; and
– work with other team members – including owners, designers, architects, engineers and others – to achieve an integrated design.

“We can’t invest in and capitalize on that envelope without the full team,” said Lucuik. “Everyone has to play together in the sandbox.

“If you don’t have the capability, which not many people do, find it elsewhere. Acknowledge your own limitations and, where you have them, fill the void.”